From: Ilmari Heikkinen <kig@...>
Date: 2005-01-20T11:15:39+09:00
Subject: Re: Best ways to accelerate Ruby's popularity


On 19.1.2005, at 22:15, why the lucky stiff wrote:
> This conversation is rubbing off.  I'm seeing things.  Here's a mockup:
> <http://redhanded.hobix.com/cult/rubyorgMockup.html>

Things that enter my mind:

* Good job!

* New Ruby users are either beginning programmers or more experienced 
programmers. There's the brief elevator-speech intro, the beginner 
tutorial, Rails tutorial, and pickaxe book. Could there also be 
"switcher"-tutorials, where you're given a quick rundown of main 
difference between the language you know and Ruby, with pointers to 
further info? And maybe API docs (I know some people who use them to 
learn languages :))


I know it's just a mockup, but here's some visual design crit anyhow

* The visual design tends to make my eyes gravitate directly to the 
panel on the right. I mean, it's strange, but I somehow can't read the 
left panel without forcing myself. My eyes just don't stick to it. 
Hmm.. might be that it sort of reads as a Google Ads -panel to me, and 
my built-in spam filter says "DON'T READ, SKIP SKIP, RED ALERT!" Maybe 
if there was a colored background there aswell, or just some eyecatch 
graphic (bg-embedded ruby, or such) to meld it into the design

* And, to reiterate: Good job!

--
Ilmari Heikkinen (should be reading for his Operating Systems exam and 
not writing email)